Valve



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS W. JENKINS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

VALVE.`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,753, dated July 26, 1881. i Application led July 27, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, THOMAS W. JENKINS, a resident of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in YalesforMAir-lumps of Condensing-Engines, and for otherpur'poses', of which thetbllowing is a specification.

This invention has reference more particularly to valves for the air-pumps of condensingengines.

The improved valve is'constructed of two or A more pieces or sections of wood, connected with a metallic collar vor guide for regulating the movementof the valve as it lifts or is dropped back to its seat. These sections are connected with the collar detachably, so that they can be readily removed and replaced, when desirable, and areunited with each other by a joint that locksitselt in whatever way the-wood tends vto part, whether by warping or shrinking. Any desired size of valve can be obtained.

' Heretoforethe valves employed have been made usually ot' rubber, and -besides being eX- pensive they are inj uriously affected by hot water, and are not lasting.

The first cost, of a valve constructed in accordance with this invention is small, while its durability is very great. Moreover, it matters not what temperature is carried in the air-pump or hot-well, the valve is not aected. With this valve therefore the engineer can in bad weather ease the circulating-pump and work with a lighter vacuum. This is often very desirable, inasmuch as when the engines are racing the circulating-pumps, being compelled to lift a heavy column of discharged water, are

subjected to great strain. Again, and this is an important advantage, itis possible to ch ange the head or bucket valve without having to disconnect the bucket-rod and take oli' the pump-cover, all that is required being that the ter and steam. By means of thehotwater carried by the drain-pipe the feed-water can be heated and a considerable amount of fuel saved.

In order that the invention and the manner .of carrying the same into effect may be fully understood, the same will now be described in `connection with the accompanying drawings,

`of a condensing-engine, the pump being provided with valves constrncted in accordance with this invention, and the cylinder drain-pipe lbeing in communication with the interior of the hot-we1l. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the valve and Fig. 3 a section on line x a', Fig. 2.

A is the pump-cylinder, having an inlet, a, and discharge b; B, the piston or bucket rod, packed in any ordinary or suitable way where it passes through the pump-cover; C, the piston or bucket; D, the hot-Well; E, the feed-pipe to the pump, and F, the cylinder drain-pipe. G represents the valves, the head-valve being indicated by G', the bucket-valve by G2, and the foot-valve by G3. The valves are all substantially alike, and are composed of a metallic collar, g, and two pieces or sections of wood, g g2, joined, as shown in Fig. 3, by means ot overlapping and interlocking projections h, and held together by straps H, which cross the dividing-line between the sections, and are bolted to the latter on opposite sides of said line. It is preferred to have one of the bolts pass through the overlapping projections.

On the lower part of the collar is a flange, i, which ts in a corresponding groove in the wooden portion of the valve. The heads of the bolts, and the ange on the collar as well,

are sunk in from the bottom, and give the Wood a chance to wear without the metallic parts coming in contact with the valve-seats. The wooden pieces or sections g g2 are made of English elm, as it is of very close grain'and not easily split, and becomes supple under the actionof steam or hot water. Other wood may, however, be used if desired, or it' the English elm cannot be had. The valve-iittin gs may be the same as now used with rubber valves, except that the guard or disk is dispensed with and replaced by a collar fastened just enough above thevalve to allow it the necessary lift.

The application of the valve is clearly shown in Fig. 1. K are the valve-seats.- L is a collar on the bucketrod, to limit the upward move- IOO ment of the bucket-valve G2. Said collar is secured by set-screws. M is a short guide-rod for the foot-valve G3, the upward movement of the latter being limited by the collar in. The valve G moves on a sleeve, N, surrounding the bucket-rod. The lift is limited by the pumpcover. The collar g and strapsH give suiicient Weight to the valve to insure its closing properly when in operation. rIhe cylinder drainpipe F is shown as entering the hot-well near the bottom, and as perforated at its lower end. This is the preferable construction, but it is not essential. The eli'ect of the introduction of the drain-pipe into thehot-Well is to increase the temperature of the feed-Water. It is evident that the temperature of the air-pump will be raised at the same time; but with the valve described this will not injuriously affect the Working of the engine.

rIhe improvement in the valve is not limited )to air-pumps of condensing-engines, although,

as I have already pointed out, it is specially adapted thereto; but it can be applied to other pumps ot" suitable construction.

By making the valve oi wood, as before described, it is obvious that it could be, without much dii'iiculty, replaced in almost any part of the world. rIhe construction of the valve in sections, locked in the manner described, could be applied to other material than Wood.

In conclusion, I would observe that although I do not claim to be the first to propose the making of Wooden valves, the use of Wood in valves of the construction described is considered a very important part of the invention.

Having now fully described my invention and the manner of carrying the same into et'- fect, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A valve comprising sections of wood, connected with each other and with a central collar or guiding-piece of metal, substantially as described.

2. A fiat disk-valve comprising wooden sections detachablyconnected with a metallic co1- lar or guiding-piece, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the valve-sections, connecting-straps, and flan ged collar, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the flanged collar, of the sections joined by overlapping interlocking projections and held together by straps and bolts, substantially as described.

5. The combination ofaguiding rodor sleeve, a collar surrounding the same and movable thereon, valve-sections detachably connected With said collar, and a fixed collar, or means for limiting the endwise movement of the irstnamed collar, substantially as described.

In testimony whereofI have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOS. W. JENKINS.

Attest:

ROBERT W. FERGUsoN, WM. M. MCKNIGHT. 

